


Wings of iron and a heart of gold.

by throwshismightyshield



Series: Pocket!Marvel Adventures [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen, Multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-06-24
Packaged: 2017-12-16 00:12:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/855585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/throwshismightyshield/pseuds/throwshismightyshield
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a fight breaks out between Steve's Arcanine and Tony's Skarmory, friction causes a rift in the team. But when a member goes missing and an old enemy turns up, can the Pokemon involved put their differences aside to ensure their own safety?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first proper fanfic based on the pocket!Marvel RP blog on tumblr, in which each Marvel character has one pokemon partner. Avengers!Centric fic using only the characters and pokemon already established in the RP.  
> All pokemon involved in this fic belong to their respective creators; I merely borrowed them for the sake of the story.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I did creating it!
> 
> Featured pokemon:  
> Brooklyn, Arcanine, Male  
> Aiern (pr. Iron), Skarmory, Female  
> Bliss, Blissey, Female  
> Gigi, Pigeot, Female

The morning had been quiet. Almost too quiet. Bliss, the Blissey, was sat happily at the kitchen table between Clint and her partner Bruce, both of whom were enjoying their choice of hot beverage. She was working on her latest project; a fluffy red white and blue scarf and hat combo for the Captain, who had somehow managed to escape having himself decorated with her clothing. That was until he’d commented on how nice the scarf she’d made for Brooklyn was and, well, that was that.

She looked down at Gigi, the golden Pigeot who was nestled under the table next to Clint preening herself, making sure all her feathers were in place and that everything was as it should be. Looking over at Steve and Tony, who were leaning on the counter laughing about something, she had to wonder where the other two pokemon were. Ah well, it didn’t matter. As long as she could knit in peace, she was happy.

But this was the Avenger’s Tower; nothing ever stayed peaceful for long.

It was a loud barking snarl that cut through the air, followed by a screeching bird noise that sounded as if it were echoing through a hollow metal tube. The four Avengers, as well as Gigi and Bliss all looked over towards the kitchen door, not sure what to expect to come through. What they hadn’t expected was Aiern, Tony’s Skarmory, to dive in brandishing a red, white and blue neckerchief in her beak, screeching loudly almost like laughter as she tap-danced around the floor, talons click-clacking on the linoleum.

Seconds later, Steve’s Arcanine Brooklyn appeared, running at the doorframe and barely making it through due to his size. Unfortunately, he alone took up a good third of the kitchen. He dove at Aiern, who had the sense to move, and she flew up, perching on top of the fridge behind Tony. Brooklyn took the bait, not even thinking as he dove at the fridge, Aiern and Tony, who was only spared as Steve wrenched him out of the way to safety, catching Stark and pulling him into his chest.

Then all hell broke loose. Aiern after realising she was trapped spread her wings and dove, soaring over Brooklyn’s head who had no time to stop himself before colliding with the fridge, paws grabbing the top where his foe had been seconds before. His weight plus momentum, caused the fridge to tip and tilt before it fell, Brooklyn pushing back and moving before he was crushed under its weight. The huge crash send Gigi into a manic state, wings smacking Clint’s legs hard as she scrambled out from underneath the table trying to get away from the sudden happening in the kitchen. Bliss had pulled Bruce back out of ‘harm’s way’, and was standing in front of him protectively, trying to keep her owner calm before running over to Gigi to help Clint soothe her.

And as fast as it had happened, everything fell silent. Brooklyn looked at the fridge now lying on the floor and let out a low whine. He knew he was in trouble now...

“Brooklyn!”

The Arcanine winced as he turned and looked at Steve, still holding Tony. He hadn’t seen Steve wearing his serious face since...well since the day the city got destroyed by those monsters. His ears flattened down and he lay down on his stomach. A sign of submission.

“Oh no, don’t you even _dare_ try and weasel your way out of this one. Look at this kitchen! Look at what you did to the team!”

Sheepishly Brooklyn looked over his shoulder at the now upturned kitchen table, Gigi and Bliss glaring at him angrily, Clint unimpressed and Bruce just...trying to relax. Another low whine as he looked back at Steve apologetically. It wasn’t his fault anyway! It had been-

Aiern strutted back in once things had cooled down, gently pulling at Tony’s pyjama pants leg and looking up at him as if to ask if it was over? No one missed the audible growl that Brooklyn gave as she smugly walked over to him without fear; now Steve was there, she had a free pass to be near him without fear of repercussion. Almost as if to spite him, she placed the neckerchief on his nose and hopped back, flitting up to land on the counter next to Tony and Steve, tilting her head at them in question.

It was like she was already asking how he was going to be punished.

Gently letting go of Tony, Steve knelt down, picking up the neck scarf. “Is this why?” He looked at Brooklyn like he couldn’t believe it, “you tore down a fridge, nearly attacked Tony and caused a disaster area because your _scarf_ was taken away from you?!”

Brooklyn opened his mouth as if to retort, but Steve held his hand up. “I am disappointed in you Brooklyn. I thought you were better than that. I know the scarf is precious to you but not far enough to do this much damage!” By now Brooklyn had no idea if it was possible to get lower to the floor. He closed his eyes, rubbing a paw down his muzzle as he gave a whine.

“No. I’m not forgiving you. Not until you’ve made this up to everyone in this room. Go to your room and think about what you’ve done this morning. Now.” Steve folded his arms, back straight and jaw set. No one knew if it was possible to see an Arcanine slink away, but they found out then it was most definitely a thing that could happen. He dragged his paws, not looking at anyone out of embarrassment and self pity as he loped out of the kitchen and back to his room.

Tony turned and looked at Aiern, who was pulling an innocent face. She was only playing after all. It wasn’t her fault that the giant smelly dog thing was too overly attached to stuff. She let out a curt shrill chirp.

“We’ll talk about this later.” He settled on saying, helping Steve stand the fridge upright, Bruce, Clint and their respective partners tidying up the table and chairs. Sheesh, what an energetic start to the day.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days had been tense. Brooklyn was of course upset for being reprimanded, too harshly in his opinion. His master was always telling him how he needed to learn to relax and get on with the team, but how could he do that when that infernal flying bucket was permanently there trying to annoy and torment him. Brooklyn had a high tether when it came to behaving, but enough had been enough. He hadn’t wanted it to go that far, but it did. What had made it worse for him was that Aiern got off with being told “not to do it again.” He knew there was little Steve could do to encourage Tony to give her something harsher after what he had endured, but then came the sucker punch.

Steve had even defended her.

He closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Had Steve turned around and said that both he and Aiern were in the wrong, maybe things would have been easier. But he hadn’t. His master, no, his _best friend_ had defended someone else who was just as in the wrong. He snorted, smacking a paw onto the floor in anger and annoyance. How dare he! That bird was truly out to destroy him. First his reputation, then his and Steve’s friendship, and now the team were angry at him too.

As a result, Brooklyn hadn’t even left Steve’s room for three days, forcing Steve to take him food which he barely even touched. He tried hard to ignore the worry in his master’s eyes because he was still so annoyed at him, but when he saw the hint of an apology look on his face part of him crumbled inside.

He didn’t like it when Steve was upset.

But the flicker would only be a flicker and as quickly as it had come it would go, replaced with a hard stare. If Brooklyn was going to be childish and not see the team or eat his food, then that was his choice; so Brooklyn acted stubborn, refusing to acknowledge Steve because Steve obviously wasn’t acknowledging him as he should have been. It hurt, but he was proud.

He just really wished that Aiern was gone.

Even Steve had to admit he was getting worried. Brooklyn had never been this bad, even back when he was a Growlithe. Honestly, Steve just didn’t know how to handle it because it was so out of character for his partner. He wanted to apologise but at the same time Brooklyn had acted carelessly and nearly caused a bad situation, and that part was terrifying. Brooklyn had spent 70 years waiting every day by Steve’s side, falling into hibernation next to his owner. He’d been malnourished and dehydrated when they’d found him, and he knew that his buddy had seen his fair share of horrors. What if this was him acting out? What if there was really something wrong and Steve hadn’t noticed it?

The fact was, he and Brooklyn had never fought before. They were always a team, a duo, and right now it felt like they were being torn in two and neither of them knew how to stop it.

The answer came in the form of a distress signal from SHIELD. JARVIS had alerted the tower; some sort of attack on a bank downtown. It would have gone through to the NYPD, except for the symbol on the side of the huge black tanks that were now opening fire on the city.

HYDRA.

Steve turned, commanding his team (the present ones) to suit up and to be ready to go. He turned, bumping into his shield, and looking up he saw Brooklyn holding it, nudging it against Steve’s chest. They stared at each other for a brief second before Steve took it, running a hand down Brook’s snout.

“Good boy.”

As soon as they could they were out of the tower and mobilising; Tony and Aiern, alongside Clint and Gigi, had taken to the skies; Bruce, Bliss and Steve were riding on Brooklyn’s back, racing through the city with speed to get there as soon as possible. The Arcanine dodged as building debris rained from the sky, Steve using his shield to block Bliss from harm. Bruce had jumped off a few seconds earlier, and soon the huge form of the Hulk swarmed past the trio, attacking one of the tanks. Keeping Bliss safe as they dismounted to take on the ground troops and whatever pokemon they had with them, Brooklyn charged head on at the second tank, smashing into it with a fierce close combat attack.

Above them, the airborne members of the team were having their own private sky war, repulsor beams, arrows and various pokemon attacks filling the skies as they took down HYDRA’s air defence strategy. It was Gigi who pulled back first as the mounted machine guns opened fire on them, neither of them truly capable of standing up to being shot. Out of nowhere, Aiern had dived in, using a swift aerial ace attack on the gun; it took it down but at a cost, the bird pokemon and the turret falling out of the sky and landing somewhere. Had there been a free moment, any one of the team would have gone and found her, but with Hulk and Brooklyn still taking out tanks, Tony taking down the remainder of the choppers, and Clint and Gigi helping wherever they could, no one had the time to help her recover.

She was a strong pokemon, she’d be fine. She’d gone through worse and lived to tell the tale.

The final straw had been Hulk picking up the tank that was giving Brooklyn trouble, throwing it at the chopper that had been keeping Tony entertained. The Arcanine looked at the Hulk, giving him a nod before turning back and unleashing a relentless flamethrower at the enemies giving Bliss trouble. If the egg bombs she was throwing weren’t enough to get them away, the sight of a flame spewing Arcanine was; he skidded in front of her, watching them scramble away from harm, voices yelling “retreat! Retreat!” filling the air. He panted, a wolfish grin on his face as he looked down at Bliss before flopping down hard to the floor in front to her, exhaling deeply.

Phew! Those close combats had really taken it out of him.

“Brooklyn!” Steve ran over to him, sighing in relief when he saw that he wasn’t too hurt, just tired. “Thanks boy,” he knelt down, running his hand up and down Brooklyn’s foreleg, the Arcanine rumbling in delight under him. It was nice to be appreciated after a fight. Bliss hopped off over to the Hulk, fussing over his wounds and well being before they were joined again by a much smaller Bruce Banner, Bliss pulling a pair of tightly folded pants out of her pouch for him to wear. How she managed to fit them in there with the egg, Steve would never know.

“Good job Doctor. Thanks for helping Brooklyn out back there.” Steve walked over to him, Bruce giving him a crooked smile as Bliss still insisted on fussing over him. Brooklyn stood up and shook the dirt from him, giving a loud bark as thanks. Nearby, Gigi landed and Clint slid off of her back, the two of them going over to check on Bruce. Steve turned his attention back to Brooklyn, pulling out several potions to help him back up to full strength.

“Thanks buddy...I know we’ve been fighting recently and...I hate it. I hate that sometimes I don’t know whether to treat you like a soldier or like my friend. I just...” he was cut off by an Arcanine face to the chest, accompanied by a low groan. As he looked up, his eyes said enough. He was sorry too. Steve chuckled, running a gloved hand through his fur. “Kiss and make up?” Steve asked before letting out a loud laugh as Brooklyn licked heavily up the side of his face.

“Not funny.” He chuckled, seeing his partner’s face. “Okay...a little funny.”

“Aiern? Aiern!” Tony was calling out for his pokemon. No one really noticed this until he landed between the two groups, faceplate flipping up. “Has anyone seen Aiern? I saw her take down a turret and now I can’t find her anywhere.” The groups looked at him before converging, each one trying to work out where she could be.

“The last place I saw her was about...here.” Clint led them over to the spot he’d seen her hit the floor. Sure enough, there was the turret and the disturbed rubble where something had scratched at the floor. Definitely talon marks.

Definitely Aiern.

The pokemon stayed behind for now as the humans went looking for the missing partner, the three of them exhausted. Bliss paced in worry, looking up every so often at where the others were hunting through rubble and debris in case she’d gotten stuck under something. Eventually they came back, Clint going with Gigi into the skies to have a scout around in case she’d gone further than they’d originally thought she had. Only Brooklyn stayed where he was. His legs and body hurt, and right now he was tired and needed to rest. Besides Aiern had probably just flown home and was hiding to scare everyone. It seemed like something she would do.

They spent the rest of the day scouring the area several times over for her, but found nothing. Eventually the Shield funded clean-up crews showed, forcing them to call it a day. Tony left immediately, darting back to Stark Tower as fast as he could, leaving the rest of the group to make their own way back. It was fair enough; he was worried about Aiern.


	3. Chapter 3

She wasn’t there when they arrived home, nor did she turn up for the rest of the night. Bruce and Clint eventually called it, going to their rooms with their partners, but Tony stayed put on the sofa, watching the t.v. Steve tried to stay up, but he himself was tired and had to rest. “Stark...you sure you’re okay?” He asked as he went to walk out of the lounge.

“Yeah. She’ll be back. She does this sometimes; it’ll be fine. She’ll be bitchy if I’m not here to let her in.” He shrugged, giving Steve a small smile. It was supposed to be encouraging, to tell Steve he was okay, but Steve saw through it. You didn’t just lose a friend and say everything was fine. But he left it, nodding to Tony before he and Brooklyn retired to bed.

It was an uncomfortable sleep for Steve. He tossed and turned, memories taunting him before he sat up, rubbing the heel of his hand over his right eye. What time was it...3am? Barely been asleep for 3 hours. He flopped back on his bed, hearing Brooklyn moving, a wet nose nudging at Steve’s hand. Turning on the lamp, he saw Brooklyn looking at him worried, clearly distressed.

He must’ve been having a nightmare. Brooklyn was always a worried mother hen when Steve had bad dreams. “Easy boy,” he sat up, scratching behind Brooklyn’s ear, “just bad memories. I’m okay...” he sighed. He was okay, but he wasn’t as well. Aiern going missing, how Tony was acting...he’d been there before. “Stay here okay?” He got out of bed and pulled on a shirt, Brook looking at him questioningly. “Just gonna go grab something to eat okay? Go back to sleep Brook. I’ll be okay.” It was a small lie; he was going to get food, but he was also going to talk to Tony. Steve knew Stark well enough that if he was this stressed, there was no way he was going to sleep, and if he was lucky he’d still be in the lounge.

Leaving Brooklyn in his room, he slunk through the tower, finding Tony in the lounge in the exact same spot he’d left him. “Still nothing?” He asked, making him jump; Tony turning around and looking at him with a wavering smile.

“Nah. She’s come back later than this though. It’s fine.”

“...it’s not fine Tony.” Steve finally said, sitting down next to him, trying to ignore the look of defiance Tony was giving him. “She’s your partner. She’s your friend. You don’t just...say its fine because you mean it. You say it because that’s what you want to be true. The truth is, you’re scared because you don’t know where she is, or if she’s fine, and if she isn’t you can’t help her. So you just tell yourself over and over until you really do believe it, that she’s going to come back, that any second she’ll walk through that door perfectly fine. I know Tony...I know.”

“No, you don’t, because I’m fine.” Tony leaned back, looking away from Steve. “She’s okay because she’s always okay. I nearly lost her once and I saved her; she’s been through hell and back, and a stupid disappearing act isn’t going to hold her down. She’ll come back. We always have done.”

Steve sighed, running a hand over his face. “Tony...last time something this bad happened to her you were with her. You were there to help her recover and for her to find comfort in. This...this is different. This time she’s alone and you’re not with her. That’s why this isn’t fine. Because you _can’t_ protect her this time. And that’s why you’re sat here, because you feel like you should have been protecting her in the first place. You’re being kept up by your own guilt and worry because this has never happened to either of you before. Not like this.”

“And how do you know?” He spat at Steve, getting defensive. Well, at least Steve wasn’t wrong in this case.

“Because the last time this happened to me, if it hadn’t have been for Bucky, Brooklyn would be dead. I let my partner go alone by himself when he wasn’t strong enough; I lost him and he nearly got killed. If I hadn’t have found Bucky and his pokemon, who managed to track him down, Brooklyn would have been killed. Because the entire time he wasn’t with me whilst I was running through that HYDRA base, I was telling myself over and over that he would be okay, and that he was a tough puppy, and that he could handle it. And he couldn’t, and I knew that, because he was only a growlithe and he couldn’t even breathe fire, so how was he supposed to defend himself without me there; but I lied to myself anyway, because he had to be okay, because _I_ couldn’t bring myself to admit that maybe I’d just let him run off to his death.” Steve went quiet, Tony just staring at him in shock.

“If Bucky’s Herdier Indiana hadn’t have been able to track him down, he would have been taken away from me. Do you wonder why I don’t like letting him out of my sight in fights? Why He never goes further than I can see him? Tony...it doesn’t matter that it happened 70 years ago. It doesn’t matter than he’s now a lot stronger than I ever dreamed possible. I’m _scared_ that it could happen again. If I lost him again...” He balled his fists slightly, bunching the fabric around his knees, “that’s why it isn’t okay Tony. Because until she comes back, it’s never going to be okay.”

Tony was silent, taking in and digesting what Steve had said. “How did he get out?” He asked quietly. Steve made a sad smile. “Bucky’s Herdier Indiana tracked him down. Brooklyn was being thrown around like a rag doll on the factory floor by Skull’s own pokemon. Too weak to fight back but he kept trying anyway. There was no way me or Buck could get down there to help him, but Indiana went anyway. I didn’t see what happened because the fire got horrible in there, and there were explosions going off, and then Skull himself turned up...it was a mess. But we got out, Bucky and I together, but neither Brooklyn nor Indiana beside us. We met at the rendezvous point and tried to stay as long as possible but we had to go.”

“And then they turned up. Bloody and hurt, but alive, both of them. I don’t know how they survived, but...I did that. I let Brooklyn run off after an enemy that was too strong to take on alone because I was busy trying to save all of those other soldiers and their pokemon. I let Brooklyn get hurt and nearly killed. And I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for it.” He looked at Tony. “It’s okay to be worried Tony. It’s okay to be scared for her, because it shows you care. But we’ll find her. I promise. We’re not going to stop until everyone is home safe.”

Tony and Steve kept talking, not noticing the huge figure by the door. Brooklyn, against Steve’s orders, had followed down anyway, stopping by the door as he heard the recalling of that night. His ears folded down as he listened, hearing the pain and fear in Steve’s voice.

He hated it.

His claws dug into the carpet slightly. He didn’t like Aiern, he knew that. But...He knew how it felt; to be alone and helpless and scared because your master isn’t there to help you. And hearing Steve talking to Tony, seeing how Tony was reacting...He closed his eyes. He wanted Steve happy. Tony made Steve happy. If Tony was sad, so was Steve.

He needed to find Aiern.

As quietly as he could, Brooklyn stole down to the tower’s garage, the route he and Steve usually took out of the building. The automated door opened and Brooklyn ran out into the night. He had to find her, he couldn’t come back until he did, and she had to be safe. Without stopping, Brooklyn made his way back to where the battle had been earlier, nose to the floor and sniffing. So many smells, oil, people, sweat, blood, dirt, it was going to be a tough job. He was getting distressed before his nose picked up a scent he hadn’t smelled in...years. His head shot up, almost like he was trying to reconcile this before it went back down, pressed harder on the floor as he followed it.

The last time he’d smelled this was back when he was younger. Before the big cold. He knew this smell. Of fire and smog and blood and bone. His pace picked up and before long he was full on running towards the edge of the city, knowing where he’d smelled that smell before.

The warehouse, when he was a growlithe and the Houndoom that had nearly killed him. That was the most prevalent memory that connected to this smell. It was impossible but that was what his nose told him, and his nose was never wrong. He felt tightness in his chest as he skidded around into a back alley, the smell of blood and metal mixing in with the scent.

Aien. He had Aiern. And she was hurt!


	4. Chapter 4

Aiern let out a shrill screech of pain as she was thrown against the wall of the abandoned warehouse, the Houndoom’s claws scraping on the metal of her neck as his fangs glowed a bright red colour. He chomped down hard, red hot fire spreading from his mouth as he did, causing her to screech and writhe in pain.

She couldn’t stand up due to having her leg ripped from her, and the Houndoom was much bigger and stronger than any other she’d ever seen. It kept a good grip on her, pulling back to douse her in a flamethrower, before throwing her across the room, the metal of her body scraping along the floor as she came to a halt.

She let out a low weak noise as she heard the footfalls of her assailant approaching her again, and she rolled herself over, hitting him as hard as she could with a steel wing attack. The lack of her wing blades made the attack incredibly weak; still, it caused him to stumble back at least, but without both of her legs to help manoeuvre herself, she was a sitting metallic duck. The Houndoom snarled dangerously at her as it approached, but something outside distracted it. It sniffed at the air tilting its head before smirking.

So someone else had come to play had they? Leaving Aiern on the floor where she’d landed, he deftly scaled up the piles of abandoned crates, melting into the darkness up in the rafters. His eyes widened as the Arcanine walked in cautiously, recognising the flag around it’s neck.

Well he be damned. This just became much more interesting...

Brooklyn paused as he walked in, sniffing about. The entire room smelled of blood and fire, and it made his nose wrinkle and stomach turn. And then he saw her, lying in the centre of the room, completely torn to pieces. He let out a low whine as he ran over, nudging her with his nose. She was alive, that was good, nearly out of hit points by now. Her defences were amazing, but this was foul play, and not even the attack at that. She’d been disabled and left defenceless so that she could be thrown about, and the scorch marks all over her...He growled lowly as he circled her protectively. They weren’t alone.

Aiern made a soft noise as she looked up at him blearily. Her voice was weak and she sounded in immense pain. Brooklyn looked at her and gently nudged her with his nose. Friendly. Safe. Everything was going to be okay. She relaxed slightly feeling his fur against her body, before letting out a shrill cry. Before Brooklyn could react, something landed on him hard and bit down, causing him to howl in immense pain. He ran about, taking sharp turns and throwing himself into the side of the building in an effort to get it off.

He could feel wet running down his shoulder blades as whatever it was clung on tight with razor sharp fangs, and he knew he had to get it off. In a desperate bid, he launched himself at one of the beams holding up the building in a full on double edge attack; whatever was on him was crushed between his full body weight and the beam, causing the support beam to snap and bend awkwardly. The entire warehouse creaked and shuddered above and around them, but he paid it little mind to it, staggering to his paws and ready to fight.

The Houndoom shook off, standing up, and Brooklyn growled lowly; He knew this foe very well. It stood proud and sleek, looking at Brooklyn with a smug toothy grin. It remembered him too then.

The first time they had met, Brooklyn had been a Growlithe who was unable to even use fire attacks, let alone hold his own in a fight against a pokemon who was bred to outdo all others. Their second meeting the grounds had been evened out, although fighting in a jet when they were both so big had been a difficult task. Somehow, just like he and Steve, this thing had survived, and made it to the future as well.

The Houndoom gave a laughing bark as it circled Brooklyn, taunting him. Was this the powerful Arcanine of Captain America that stood before him, or the weak pathetic Growlithe who was so eager to throw his life away?

Brook followed him, turning to keep their eyes locked. He was stronger now, and wiser, and he refused to be beaten by such an enemy. Digging his claws into the Earth, he braced himself before launching forward into an extreme speed attach, snarling as he slammed into the Houndoom hard; the creature cried out in pain, barely seeing an orange blur before Brooklyn was on top of him, electricity racing through the Arcanine’s fangs as he repeatedly slammed the Houndoom into the floor, keeping him subdued with a thunder fang. It went still and Brook stumbled back, still growling but weak. The close combat had taken a lot of his health, and right now he was staggering slightly. No Steve to heal him either...they needed to get back.

Thinking his enemy down, Brooklyn turned, loping over to Aiern, who was trying to hold herself up with only one leg. She looked at him with the briefest glance of thanks, before her eyes widened, letting out a screech attack as a warning, but it was too late. The Houndoom had gotten up, leaping back on top of Brooklyn as crunched down hard on his shoulder, causing Brooklyn to howl in pain as a toxic poison was spat into his wounds. He was seeing red in his vision. Close to fainting...damn it!

Taking a deep breath, Brooklyn rolled onto his back, crushing the Houndoom under his bulk and forcing it to let go. Once if had, Brooklyn grabbed hold of it in his jaws, charging at the beam that was already cracking. He closed his eyes as he slammed into it with a close combat, taking damage but also dangerously hurting the Houndoom. For good measure, he repeated the attack, the Houndoom letting out one more cry before it was silenced, the beam barely still holding together.

Throwing the fainted  body of the Houndoom aside, Brooklyn limped over weakly to where Aiern was, collapsing down in front of her. Rest now. They could...go back soon. He just needed to catch his breath. She closed her eyes, letting herself fall against his shoulder, still weak. His entire body shuddered at the effects of the poison taking hold, but he was okay...he was okay for now.

Above them the warehouse groaned, the beam snapping under the stress of the break. Both he and Aiern looked up and then at each other before moving, Brooklyn still faster despite his speed. He turned in horror as the roof began to collapse, Aiern screeching in pain and fear, unable to run or fly properly.

He knew he wouldn’t make it there and back again with Aiern. It was a one way trip. And he took it. Darting over to her, he threw himself over her much smaller body, curling up as the building fell down on top of them with an almighty crunch of wood meeting metal meeting concrete. Brooklyn didn’t dare move as he felt the weight push down against him, doing everything he could to keep from crushing Aiern underneath him. It was a strain, but he could do it. Had to do it.

When everything settled, he felt the metallic bird moving about underneath him, pushing up between his front legs using him to balance upright. With her gone, Brooklyn sank down, the weight of the building still on him. He gave a low whine, looking at her. There was room for her to get out and escape.

Go.

She looked at him with confusion and concern. She couldn’t leave him.

Go!

Letting out her own metallic whine, she stuck her beak under his neck, picking and undoing the knot on his ascot and dragging it off of him. With an apologetic glace, she pushed and manoeuvred herself up through the rubble and out into the sunrise. She couldn’t wait around though. She had to go get help.


	5. Chapter 5

“Brooklyn!” Steve walked through the streets with Tony behind him, the two of them calling out for their partners. Steve had stayed up the entire night with Tony, keeping him talking, about him and Aiern and their history together. When it’d gotten to about 5am, Steve had gone back to his room to check on Brooklyn and apologise, knowing he’d most likely still be awake and waiting for him.

Tony had nearly jumped through the roof when Steve came back down looking erratic. “Brook’s not in his room! Tony I can’t find him!”

After searching the tower through with no luck, the two of them had decided to throw on their clothes and take to the streets. Usually Steve would have insisted on keeping their voices down because people were sleeping, but right now he didn’t care. Brooklyn was gone and he had no idea where or why.

“Brooklyn?”

“Aiern!”

“Where are you guys?”

Tony looked over at Steve, who he’d never seen looking so lost and torn, and he cupped his hands to his mouth, shouting out for both pokemon over and over, like it would make a difference.

Luckily for Tony, it did. In the distance he could see something flying towards them. Something metallic and small and...”Aiern!” He started running as his partner descended as well as she could given she was missing a few of her quills. She hit the floor hard unable to land properly, but she tried to keep moving. Tony ran up to her, dropping down to his knees in front of her and hugging her tightly. “I thought I’d lost you this time! What happened?” He pulled back, just now noticing the nicks, scratches and bite marks, as well as her missing leg. And in her beak...

“Shit...Aiern did...Brooklyn...?” Tony asked, stunned. He couldn’t believe it. Wouldn’t believe it. She shook her head, trying to pull back from Tony, using him to balance on her one leg before she tried to hop off back in the direction she’d come from initially. Steve walked over, helping Tony up, and Stark handed him the neckerchief.

“She had this on her. She’s in pretty bad shape, bitten and burned,” he saw the horror in Steve’s eyes, “but I don’t think it was Brook.  I think she wants us to follow.” they both looked up at her and she balanced herself with a wing on the floor, cawing at them.

“If I carry her, she can direct us right?” Steve asked as they approached her.

“If she lets you, you can try,” he warned Steve, watching as he approached her. The Captain held up his hands as he knelt down by her.

“Aiern we’re going to go where you want us to, but we need to carry you okay? I won’t hurt you, and it’ll make life a lot easier for everyone, alright?” He put a hand out for her as a sign of trust. She regarded it before rubbing her beak against it. That seemed to be an okay to Steve, and he gently scooped her up, holding her where he wouldn’t cause discomfort.

“Okay, which way do you want us to go?”

Between the three of them, Tony, Steve and Aiern made their way down to the docks, finding the collapsed warehouse. It was a wreck.  Aiern struggled in Steve’s grip, nipping at him until he dropped her; pushing herself along as best she could, she scrabbled up to the small opening she had come out from earlier, turning back to the two avengers and cawing. They ran up to join her, looking down into the hole.

“Holy...” Tony breathed out. At the bottom, underneath the debris, he could just make out Brooklyn, and he didn’t look conscious. Steve saw him to, and his heart surged into his throat. Squeezing between them, Aiern pushed herself into the hole which was too small for either Tony or Steve to go into, sliding down until she bumped into him. She squawked at him, lightly pecking his forehead and pulling on his mane.

Nothing.

She let out a more desperate cry, bashing him with her head.

Still nothing.

Looking up at Tony she gave a distressed cry, pushing herself back out of the hole. Stark wasted no time, grabbing his phone and calling back to the tower. Within twenty minutes, the other two Avengers present had shown up to help try and clear the wreckage. It took a while, but between the six of them (Aiern had decided she would help by staying in the hole with Brooklyn as they dug him out), they were finally able to get close enough to pull him out with help from the Hulk. Brooklyn looked lifeless, his shoulders covered in clumps of blood, and thin purple liquid ooze crusted on his fur. Whatever had attacked him had poisoned him badly. They needed a pokemon center and now.

It was definitely a sight to see the Hulk walk into a pokemon center with an Arcanine draped over his shoulder, followed by an anxious Blissey, and several other trainers and their pokemon. Once Brooklyn was taken in and Aiern was checked over, everyone except for Steve was sent home. There was little they could do but wait and hope the toxic hadn’t been permanently damaging, or worse fatal to his body. Tony went to walk out before looking back at Steve. “I’m going to get Aiern a temporary leg replacement, and I’ll be back with her. I’m not letting you wait this out alone okay?”

Steve looked at him, teary eyed and tired. “Thanks Tony...that means a lot to me.”

**

Brooklyn’s eyes weakly fluttered open. He felt like he’d been repeatedly run over by a tank or a rhyhorn; whichever one was heavier. He looked around the room he was in, not recognising it at all. Outside he could hear voices, and he sat up slightly, legs still shaky from the pain of the building falling on him, and he tilted his head. Definitely Steve, and definitely Tony.

A squawk got his attention and he looked down at the space in front of him, which had been empty for barely seconds after he sat up. Aiern looked at him before pushing her head against his chest, affectionately nipping at the ling fur there. Brooklyn gave an annoyed grunt but he left it. Right now, he was actually just happy to see her alive, and the feeling was mutual. She hopped off the bed, allowing Brooklyn to lay down once again, and strutted over to the door, pecking at it hardly.

Steve and Tony opened it and walked in, and upon seeing Brooklyn looking at them Steve ran over, throwing his arms around his partner and burying his face into his fur, face wet with emotion. Brooklyn rested his head down Steve’s back, gently nuzzling him. It was okay, he was okay. Hurt, but alive.

“I thought I lost you, you...stupid mutt.” He scolded half heartedly, “Running off like that without warning me...you’re so stupid and brave and brilliant Brooklyn. Just _never_ do that again you hear me?”

The Arcanine nodded. He had no plans to. Not anytime soon anyway. Another hand touched him, and he looked up at Tony who was running a fond hand through the fur on his forehead. “Thanks big dog, for saving her. I owe you one.”

He lifted his nose, licking at Tony’s wrist, causing the Iron hero to chuckle. At his feet, Aiern looked up at Brooklyn with a smile. Not a smug one, not even a smirk, but a genuine thankful smile. Brooklyn gave her one back, before turning his full attention to Steve, who was still hugging him.

“We’ll be outside okay guys?” Tony ushered Aiern out with him, leaving Steve and Brooklyn with some private time alone together.

**

Two days later found Brooklyn returned to the tower, having made a lucky full recovery. The poison had been drained from his system, and after a good meal and rest, he arrived home with Steve, where he spent most of the next day asleep at the foot of his bed, not really seeing anyone. Steve had been surprised to see Aiern sitting by his door when he’d gone to bed that night, reassuring her that she could see Brooklyn the next day. That answer seemed fine by her as she trotted off down the corridor, her gold and red leg back in place where it belonged, albeit was a new one.  Steve was up before Brooklyn the next morning, making his way down to the kitchen for breakfast. He was soon joined by the rest of the group, the balance restored...for the most part.

“There is no way that would happen.” Tony leaned against the counter, cradling the cup of coffee as Steve rolled his eyes.

“I’m telling you now. Those little yellow pains are deadly if you get on the wrong side of them.”

“I second that notion,” Clint interjected with a smile, “but then, I’ll agree with that on any electric type.”

“My point is,” Tony continued, “there is no way you saw a joltic take down a charizard in one hit. I don’t care if it’s got a weakness; it didn’t happen! I refuse to believe it!”

Bliss and Bruce stayed on the fringe of the conversation, the gentle click-clack of her needles frantic as she worked on a complicated gold and orange number for Pepper after she’d commented how she was looking for a new scarf to go with her outfit. Bliss was all too happy to oblige.

A familiar battle cry was heard and the kitchen patrons flinched as Aiern burst in through the doorframe, dancing and hopping around the kitchen floor in joy. Seconds later, Brooklyn walked in, looking almost resigned as he lifted his chin, the Skarmory pulling at the neckerchief until it came free, and walking off with her prize over to Brooklyn’s food dish, where Steve had already put down his pokemon’s breakfast.

With no fuss or argument, he followed her, leaning down to eat, on occasion allowing her to steal bits of his meal. When he was done, he raised his paw for Aiern, who used it as a step to clamber up onto his back where she settled down in the fur on his head. As he walked out, Brook gave a small woof of a ‘good morning and good bye’ to the group, Aiern crowing as nipping and plucking at his fur and ears playfully every so often.

“I think the pokemon center broke your dog Steve,” Clint looked over at him, the soldier just as shocked as everyone else.

“Or they fixed him?” Tony offered, earning a cuff over the back of the head from Steve, and a small but playful glare.

 “I don’t think there was anything to fix,” He smiled, his eyes darting to Tony before they went back to the door “just bridges that needed to be built in the first place.”

Maybe they were a strange family, and maybe sometimes they fought and argued, but the bonds between them, once made, were unbreakable. Even though sometimes, that took longer than expected. 


End file.
